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Banff National Park of Canada

Park Management

Table of Contents | Introduction | Current Twinning | Highway Fencing & Wildlife Crossings

Highway Fencing and Wildlife Crossings

July 2010

Number of times 11 different species of large mammals have used 30 wildlife crossings between the park’s east gate and the British Columbia border since 1996.

220,000+

In response to high and rising traffic volumes, sections of the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) have been upgraded from a two-lane to a four-lane divided highway in Banff National Park.

To reduce the negative impacts of a larger highway on wildlife populations in Banff National Park:

Fencing has been installed on both sides of the twinned highway sections to prevent large animals from getting onto the highway. Vehicle-wildlife collisions have been significantly reduced.
Wildlife underpasses and overpasses have been installed to connect vital habitats and help sustain biodiversity.

In 1996, the highway mitigation research project began studying the impacts of roads on wildlife in terms of road mortality, wildlife movements and habitat connectivity in the Bow Valley. Research results are being applied in highway upgrade projects in the mountain parks and beyond, including other countries.

The Banff Wildlife Crossings Project